Product inspection system and a method for implementing same

Abstract

An inspection system and a method for measuring physical characteristics of a component using the inspection system is provided, wherein the inspection system includes a light source, a sensing device and a retention mount, at least one of which is movably associated with the inspection system. The method includes associating a component with the inspection system such that the component is disposed within the retention mount, operating the inspection system to cause the light source to emit a collimated light beam propagating along a source optical path such that the collimated light beam is incident upon the component to produce a component silhouette which is incident upon the sensing device, generating image data responsive to the component silhouette and processing the image data to generate resultant data including at least one of a plurality of physical characteristics of the component.

1 . An inspection system, comprising:
 a collimated light source defining a source optical path, said collimated light source being operable to cause a collimated light beam to propagate along said source optical path;   a sensing device defining a sensor optical path;   a positioning device including a positioning device stage, wherein at least one of said collimated light source and said sensing device is movably disposed relative to said positioning device and wherein said collimated light source is disposed on said positioning device such that said collimated light beam propagates along said sensor optical path to said sensing device;   a retention mount, said retention mount being disposed within said sensor optical path such that when a component is retained within said retention mount, said component blocks at least a portion of said collimated light beam; and   a system support structure, a base structure, a bridge structure, a light source mounting structure and a sensing device mounting structure, wherein said positioning device stage is non-movably associated with said positioning device and wherein said positioning device is non-movably disposed on said base structure.   
     
     
         2 . The inspection system of  claim 1 , wherein said base structure and said bridge structure is at least partially constructed from a non-metallic polymer material. 
     
     
         4 . The inspection system of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning device includes a motor having a motor controller, wherein at least one of said collimated light source and said sensing device is controllably configurable via said motor. 
     
     
         5 . The inspection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processing device, wherein said processing device is communicated with at least one of said light source, said sensing device and said positioning device. 
     
     
         6 . The inspection system of  claim 1 , wherein said collimated light source includes a red Light Emitting Diode (LED) and a collimating lens. 
     
     
         7 . The inspection system of  claim 1 , wherein said sensing device includes a high resolution imaging device and a high magnification lens system. 
     
     
         8 . The inspection system of  claim 7 , wherein said high magnification lens system is a microscope-type tele-centric optical lens system having a magnification factor of about 2.6.times. 
     
     
         9 . A method for measuring the physical characteristics of a component using an inspection system, wherein the inspection system includes a collimated light source defining a source optical path, the collimated light source being operable to cause a collimated light beam to propagate along the source optical path; a sensing device defining a sensor optical path, a system support structure, a base structure, a bridge structure, a light source mounting structure and a sensing device mounting structure; a positioning device including a positioning device stage, wherein the positioning device stage is movably disposed relative to the positioning device, the sensing device and the collimated light source, and wherein the positioning device is non-movably disposed on the base structure; and a retention mount non-movably disposed on the positioning device stage, the retention mount being disposed within the sensor optical path such that when a component is retained within the retention mount, the component blocks at least a portion of the collimated light beam, the method comprising:
 associating a component with said inspection system such that said component is disposed within said retention mount;   operating said inspection system to cause said light source to emit a collimated light beam propagating along a source optical path such that said collimated light beam is incident upon said component to produce a component silhouette which is incident upon said sensing device;   generating image data responsive to said component silhouette; and   processing said image data to generate resultant data comprising at least one of a plurality of physical characteristics of said component.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said operating further includes performing a lens distortion analysis. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said operating further includes calibrating said inspection system via a predetermined calibration algorithm. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said calibration algorithm includes determining at least one of X-axis calibration factors, Y-axis first zero diameter factors, Y-axis second zero diameter factors, a Y-axis second diameter factor, a Y-axis second 180 diameter factor, a Y-axis tangent correction factor and a lens distortion factors 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of physical characteristics include first thread 0° side truncated measurements, second thread 0° side truncated measurements, first thread 180° side truncated measurements and second thread 180° side full form measurements. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first thread 0° side truncated measurements include at least one of minor radius, major radius, pitch radius, lead pitch, lead flank angle, lead trail angle and at least one included angle and wherein said second thread 0° side truncated measurements include at least one of minor radius, major radius, pitch radius and lead pitch, said. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first thread 180° side truncated measurements include at least one of minor radius, major radius, pitch radius and lead pitch and wherein said first thread 180° side full form measurements include at least one of major radius, pitch radius and lead pitch. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said operating further includes performing a component reliability and repeatability (R&R) measurement, wherein said R&R measurement includes associating a gage with said inspection system such that said gage is disposed within said retention mount and calibrating said inspection system a predetermined number of times. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said operating further includes configuring said inspection system for a predetermined gage or product to be measured. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said generating includes generating said image data via said sensing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said processing includes processing said image data via a processing device to generate resultant.